Interview

In an interview with Creature Companion, Mr. Gautam Barat; Co-founder, Friendicoes S.E.C.A (Society for the eradication of cruelty to animals) talks about the issue of ‘abandonment’ of pets. Friendicoes-S.E.C.A was registered on 23rd April, 1979. Mr. Barat has devoted more than 30 years to the welfare of animals.

How big is the problem of abandonment?

A. Well, the problem is really big. In fact, it’s becoming bigger by the day. And dumping happens with all dogs, irrespective of their pedigree. Over the years we have seen Poms, Apsoes, Labradors, German Shepherds, Dobermaan, Dalmatians, Boxers and even St Bernard being abandoned.

The problem is accentuated by the lack of relatives/friends who are willing to take care of the pet and the lack of good boarding facilities in Indian cities.

It’s difficult to assign a number. But we can safely say one dog is abandoned every day in Delhi alone. So, even if we are conservative the number turns out to be 300 per year. The number is high indeed.

What are the reasons for abandonment? What is the modus operandi followed by owners who abandon pets?

A. There are many reasons. Some are bizarre and some unbelievably inhumane.

1. During the summer months and otherwise, when the owners need to go out on a holiday, they abandon their pet. Simply leave him/ her behind.
    

2. No one wants to take care of an old pet. As soon as a pet attains senior citizenship or is diagnosed with a serious ailment, they are thrown out.. People forget the years spent with the dog, the love and affection shared. At this juncture the pet needs the family most. The owner must rally round and be with the pet and give solace to the ailing soul.
    

3. There are many unscrupulous breeders going around. They sell pups, confirming it to be of a particular breed. When the pup grows up and it turns out to be non-pedigree, it is abandoned instantly. Without any remorse on the part of the owner.
    

4. People treat Dogs as status symbol. Whenever the pedigree of the dog does not conform to the latest ‘fashion’, it is condemned to die.
    

5. City life has become fast paced. All frustrations are vented out on the dog.
    

6. Dogs are bought for children and when they are over with the fun, the utility of the ‘toy’ is lost. The pet is then thrown out.
    

7. Dogs are also often abandoned on the advice of astrologers, friends and relatives.
    

8. If the owners have a small house/ flat, they often abandon grown up dogs. The owners forgot that the pup would grow up some day. These kind of people need to have their heads examined. Families adopting or buying a pet should do so according to the size of their establishment.
    

9. Foreigners working and residing in India also add to the problem. When they leave, they simply dump their pets. Some do contact animal shelters, while others simply euthanize the pet.
    

10. Arrival of a new born leads to the pet being sacrificed, most human doctors advice so.
     

11. Kooky excuses such as dog not barking or dog barks too much often leads to their being thrown out.
     

12. Dog shedding hair, instead of taking a Vets advice, families get jumpy and the pet gets dumped.
     

People need to remember that a domesticated pet can never survive street life. It is used to the comforts of home, regular balanced meals, good grooming and the love of the owners.

Street dogs too have a pre-defined area; they do not allow dogs to enter their territory. A pet when abandoned is shocked, dejected and loses its bearings. Hunger, disease or accident will claim it.

Now let’s look at the second part of the question. Owners can be quite cruel when they want to abandon pets. Most of them just leave them on the streets or travel miles to some obscure locality near the state border knowing fully well that the pet can never make it back. The pet is thoroughly traumatised. Vagaries of weather, hunger and shock of abandoning takes its toll in a very short span of time,. Some, who are comparatively more human, tie them outside our centre on the sly, but not a humane thing to do. Yes they have absolved themselves of their responsibility. And yes, we have even had cases when the dogs has been thrown out of a moving car, drugged, pushed into gutters and underfed before abandonment.

Can we convict guilty owners? Do you press charges?

A. The prevention of cruelty to animals has many laws and acts. If used judiciously and wisely it can teach defaulting parties a real lesson. Organizations such as the PFA do help people who would like to book a person for animal torture. For instance, if you spot someone harassing/ill-treating a dog, contact PFA and they will make sure that the person is booked.

For issues like abandonment there need to be tougher laws and punishment. The one thing that has to happen ASAP is the compulsory registration of every dog. Also a death certificate has to be mandatory. Such laws would make the job of identifying owners a lot easier and hence make them more accountable.

Also a periodic health check up of all dogs needs to be made mandatory. The check up needs to include a vaccination check, de-worming check and an analysis of the general well-being and goodwill of the dog. A health certificate needs to be issued to every dog and it should be shown on request.

The government can choose representatives from NGO’s to act as block officers.

We want to ape the west for everything, why not ape them for the implementation of animal laws.

People want to ‘Donate’ pets during summer months/other times. How do you handle such cases?

A. The word donation is a misnomer; what their action denotes is dumping. We ask them the reason for leaving the pet. If the reason sounds genuine, we look at the situation from the point of view of the pet and adopt it. Because the pet would in all probability be abandoned if we do not accept it. After we have accepted the pet, we try to re-home it. It’s very important to tell the new owner about the past experiences of the dog. A lot of emotional trauma is involved in such exchanges.

In other cases, we sit down with the family and counsel it. We have also seen cases in which families have dumped their dog and have come back later to claim it. Reason being, the child is crying or we all are missing it or the house feels empty without the pet. At least in such cases there is hope and scope.

What is the solution to the problem? What should pet owners do if they have no other option but to leave their dog?

A. Education is the only solution. People need to be educated on how to take care of pets. It’s important to know the difference between ‘raising’ a pet and ‘keeping’ a pet. Also, dumping for dumping sake as discussed earlier should be a punishable offence. It is very important to bring in the fear factor. Until and unless people do not fear for their actions, they will continue to do what they do.

Coming to the second part, why should they have no other option? It’s a life and you have to treat it as a life. Additionally, pets also give unconditional love and provide security. It’s very important to have a heart if you want to keep a pet. If you do not have a heart, do not keep a pet. Also it’s important to factor in the cost before you keep a pet. It’s important that you must be willing to spend on the pet.

Finally, if you indeed have no other option, pay token money to the NGO so that they can take proper care of the animal. But this too has a limit. We do not have unlimited space. We already have 650 dogs in our sanctuary, a floating population of 120-180 dogs in the city shelter and other assorted large animals and felines take our tally over 920 animals.

Can the abandoned pets be adopted without legal hassles? Is there a charge for adoption?

A. Yes, the dogs can be adopted without any legal hassles. In case an owner comes back to re-claim his pet, then instead of returning the pet, we tell him to prove ownership, which he cannot. Also, an owner who has abandoned a dog is not worthy enough to keep a pet. We do not return an adopted pet even if the dog recognises the previous owner. No such issues arise if the dog was properly handed over through the proper channel.

There is no charge for adoption. We do make sure that the adopting family is genuine and keen on adoption. We do a background check and look for information such as previous pets etc. We insist that the adopting family to come to the shelter for seven to ten days so that the pet and they get acclimatized and win each others confidence.… There is also a clause which states that if an owner is not keeping the pet in proper condition, we can retrieve it. Anyone can adopt a pet and we encourage more and more people to do it, especially Indian pups and adults.

Do you face a resource crunch in running your centre?

A. It is indeed expensive to run both the city shelter and the sanctuary in Gurgaon. The running costs are enormous. With a high staff strength and battery of Vets and an on going Equine Project based in Agra, Bharatpur, Faridabad and Gurgaon where over thousands of horses, mules and donkeys are medically treated free of cost. The crunch is sure felt.Thankfully, the food and medicine suppliers do not stop supply even if there are delayed payments. That is the goodwill the society has. We are survivors and we will survive everything.

Do you require assistance from citizens to carry out your work more efficiently?

A. Citizens can help both cash/ cheque and kind. We are covered us/80G of the IT act. We need a lot of stuff for the proper upkeep of the animals. People can donate old newspapers. Newspapers are used in the cages. Blankets and Boris are very useful during winter months. Old carpets, quilts, woollen garments are all welcome. Since we house canines, felines, equines, assinines, simians etc, we require different feed for different animals. People can donate Rice, Wheat, Milk, Bread, Biscuits, Rusk, Pulses, Jaggery etc. Medicines not expired are welcome. Citizens can sponsor animals in our shelter by paying their feeding or vaccination charges.

Is there a message you would like to give to pet owners?

A. Yes, Be kind to your pets. Look after them well. Clean, bathe and exercise your pets with a lot of compassion. Give them balanced meals. Treat pets as a part of your family. They have the same feelings as us humans. Bond very well with them. Do not leave them alone for a long time, take them along. And please, do not tie them inside the house. Allow them to find their own corner and give them their own time and space. This will ensure that you have a calm, matured and loveable pet, a treat indeed.